Vietnam welcomes the efforts of parties in reaching a comprehensive agreement between Iran and P5+1 (the US, the UK, Germany, France, Russia and China) on Iran’s nuclear power on July 14, stated Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Hai Binh at a regular conference in Hanoi on July 16.

“We consider this an important and positive contribution to security stability in the region and the world,” he said.

Answering questions on the accuracy of the news that the US Sacramento city’s administration cancelled a meeting with a Vietnamese delegation led by Politburo member and Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City’s Party Committee Le Thanh Hai, the spokesperson said Hai’s working agenda in California is taking place as normal.

Within the framework of the visit, Hai had a meeting with California Governor Edmud Jerry Brown on July 14 (local time), during which both sides discussed measures to advance the promising friendship and cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and California, he said.

Regarding a fishing boat from central Quang Ngai province sunk by a Chinese vessel while operating in Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago waters, the spokesperson said Vietnam’s authorised agencies have actively worked to clarify the specific details of the incident.

“However, we affirm that Hoang Sa and the waters surrounding the archipelago are of Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction and are traditional fishing ground of Vietnamese fishermen. Therefore, we strongly protest all action hindering Vietnamese fishermen’s operations in their traditional vicinities,” he declared.

On China’s call on the Philippines to renounce efforts to deal with the East Sea dispute in international court and discuss directly with Beijing, Binh said Vietnam has a clear and constant stance on issues related to disputes in the East Sea.

“Vietnam supports the settlement of East Sea disputes through peaceful measures in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea,” he underscored.

During the press conference, the spokesperson also responded to a query on a Vietnamese national sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment by a US court, affirming that Vietnamese representative agencies in the US are coordinating closely with the host country to clarify information related to the case.

The Foreign Ministry has also directed Vietnamese representative offices in the US to ask for the US’ permission for a consular visit to the Vietnamese national while rolling out all measures to ensure the utmost rights of the citizen, he announced.

Responding to a question on Vietnam’s fishing boat QNg 95924 TS with 33 crewmembers seized by Brunei in May 2015 and who underwent trial in June this year, Binh said that the Vietnamese Embassy in Brunei reported that on July 12, 2015, the embassy had worked with the Brunei side to send two juvenile fishermen home.

The other 31 fishermen jailed in Brunei are in good health condition, he said, adding that 21 fishermen are released on July 16, eight on July 29 and the final two owners of the boat on September 29.

In that time, the Vietnamese Embassy in Brunei will coordinate closely with Brunei’s authorised agencies to ensure boat storage while clearing necessary procedures for the fishermen to return home after concluding their imprisonment, Binh said.

VNA